Today we’d like to introduce you to Kimberly Bouk.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Kimberly. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I wasn’t looking to start an herb business, really. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been fascinated with plants, especially herbs. I didn’t really know they had healing properties, I just liked how they looked and smelled. In 2013, I discovered an unknown weed growing in my yard and researched it. I found that a wonderfully soothing salve could be made with this weed. Chickweed Salve was my first salve I ever made and it worked wonders for my skin! That was just the beginning. I now know this “weed” is actually an amazing and gentle herb that helps with all kinds of skin issues. I was so thrilled with the results of Chickweed Salve for myself, that I started sharing with friends and family members and they loved it, too! I kept getting requests to make more and more salves to help with other minor health issues.
About this time, my youngest was 4 years old and my husband thought it was time for me to go back to work. I had been staying home from the time he was born and the idea of going back to work just didn’t sit right with me. It occurred to me that maybe I could sell some of these salves and possibly some herbal teas to bring in a bit of extra money. One day, when visiting a nearby farm to purchase some local handmade products from their little store, I mentioned to the owner that I was toying with the idea of making my herbal products to sell. She immediately said, “Bring me some samples!” And so, I created my herbal tea recipes, my herbal salves, designed all the packaging and it just kind of all came together somehow.
I truly believe God was with me through this entire process, leading me in my recipes and even my label designs! I finally got up the courage to take some things into the farm store and she bought everything I had right on the spot! She loved the products and so did her customers. We started doing craft shows and vintage pop-up markets in 2014 and now do an average of 80 per year as well as growing our wholesale business. Our online sales have increased steadily every year we and ship our products all over the world.
I truly believe people have a deep desire to step away from conventional medicine with all the harmful side effects and get back to the natural, more traditional ways our ancestors used to treat their common ailments. We desire a healthier, more eco-friendly and more affordable way to treat ourselves. I love that we help people and their families become more self-reliant in their health and I love that I get to share my love of herbs through our amazing products!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It’s been mostly a smooth road for us–we’ve had a few bumps and learning experiences along the way. I always look at hiccups as a lesson that prepares me for the future. For example, the weather is always a factor when you are doing outside pop-up markets and ever since we had to pack up our stuff in a hailstorm and then drive home for 5 hours soaking wet, we’ve always kept a poncho set of rain boots handy wherever we go!
Kimberly’s Kupboard – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We specialize in high-quality handmade herbal products including hand-blended teas, healing salves, tinctures, herbal skin care and essential oils. We believe in an “inside and outside” approach to health. When dealing with any health issue, we believe the best approach is to tackle it both internally with things like herbal teas and tinctures (herbal extracts) as well as through aromatherapy and topical applications like salves. Sometimes something as simple as just changing to handmade soaps and skin care can do wonders for someone dealing with skin issues. Our products contain no artificial ingredients, preservatives or synthetic fragrances. Everything is made in small batches with the best ingredients for the best results. We offer such a wide variety of products, it’s hard for someone not to find something they could use! We are proud of our quality and our customer service. We always try to do our best to make sure our customers are thrilled with everything they buy and we go the extra mile to show how much we care.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success is doing what you love and having the people you love to be a part of it.
Contact Info:
- Address: 3965 N 1700E RD
Cabery, IL 60919 - Website: www.kimberlyskupboard.com
- Phone: 309-275-3696
- Email: kimberlyskupboard@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/kimberlyskupboard
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/kimberlyskupboard
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